North Carolina teacher

              THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER.
Vol. XII. Raleigh, December, 1894. No. 4.
EUGENE O. HARRELL, = = = = Editor.
"ESSE QUAM VIDERI."
(motto of north CAROLINA.)
BY LILA RIPLEY BARNWELIv.
" I am that which I seem to be."
O, worthy motto of our State,
The same in times of prosperous peace.
The same in times of adverse fate.
Within her borders there's no room
For cunning craft or cold deceit.
But ever open as the day.
She stands in honor all complete.
The Nation's history well has shown
That this, our motto, we deserve.
Then let it be our constant aim
Its truth and honor to preserve.
We hold this motto ever dear.
And call upon the world to see
That Carolina's sons are still
And ever what they seem to be.
ilnd they this motto will defend
In honor true and tried;
To what they appear to be
Shall be their loyal pride.
Our fathers this good motto earned,
We proudly walk the way they trod,
And are that which we seem to be
Before the world, and to our God.
114 THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER.
WOMEN AND FOOTBALL.
If training and custom have any influence, the girl of
this nineteenth century should possess strong nerves. The
tendency of the age is to develop muscle rather than brains,
and to affect the athletic rather than the graceful. No-where
is this fact so clearly demonstrated as in the college
town, where one hears the word "teams" used incessantly,
and where to hint that one knows nothing of football is
simply to bring down contempt upon one's head. Fifty
years ago a college youth was given to sentimentality. He
wore his hair long, and wrote verses, he took but little
exercise, except possibly on his horse, and he was a stu-dent,
or he assumed the manners of one. It was the fashion
in college then for a man to be learned, and the valedicto-rian
or the poet of his class was honored and respected.
The sons of the men now wear their hair long, but for a
very different reason, namely, as a protection to their
heads, so that in playing the great game blows will fall
upon them with less serious effect.
If it is imperative that our boys should have to go
through all this training to obtain that most tremendous
virtue, "pluck," of which we hear so much, let them b\'
all means do so, but why expect us to witness the disa-greeable
process? Why is it not equally proper for women
to attend dog fights, or cock fights, or prize fights? Objec-tions
are often made against women's adopting a dress
which nearly resembles a man's, and also for girls and boys
to play games together. It is urged that these have the
result of making the girl less womanly, and the boy less
gallant; and yet these same superfeminine girls are expected
to enjoy any exhibition of brute force, and to inspire a fond-ness
for it, lending refinement to the game by their presence,
and encouragement to the players by their applause.
THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER. II5
It is distinctly "unfashionable" to cry down woman's
presence on these occasions, but it is a point of view which
I am quite certain many women hold. I have been told
by those who go regularly to the sports that they never
look at the cane- sprees or wrestling-matches; they keep
their eyes religiously glued upon one spot remote from the
scene of action; they go because they do not wish their
male relatives to think them deficient in fortitude, but
they really, in their inmost hearts, do not enjoy it. Others
have reluctantly confessed to me that it is altogether a cul-tivated
taste; that the first one or two experiences were
dreadful, making them feel faint and sick; but by school-ing
themselves to it, and by frequent attendance, they had
at last reached the point where it gave them great satisfac-tion
and pleasure. Is it worth while for us to endure this
painful method for the sake of the pleasure which ensues?
Would not our boys play just as well if we were not look-ing
at them ? And, after all, is it womanly and sweet and
refined and gentle for us to sit calmly and stoically by while
possibly some boy is carried off the field, a poor, limp-look-ing
creature, perhaps badly injured, we, in the meantime,
joining in the vociferous applause which greets the victo-rious
side?
If young women are becoming less romantic, less domes-tic,
and more progressive and assertive, has not the foot-ball
game had its influence in this direction ? We women
all worship in men courage and physical strength; and
possibly the men admire in us the qualities which they do
not so generally possess, physical weakness and moral
strength.
—
Harper'' s Bazar.
The North Carolina Legislature, which will assemble in
Raleigh January 9, 1895, is pledged to provide a four
months term of the public schools of the State. This is
well.
Il6 THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER.
THE COUNTRY SCHOOL.
At least four-fifths of our people get their early training
in our rural schools. Hence the following important sug-gestions,
made in a late address by Hon. Henry Sabin, of
Iowa, come to be of special significance. He says:
" The teacher in the rural school may not do the same
work that is done in the city graded school, but can do
work equally as well; she can do it in the same spirit, she
can avail herself of the love of nature, which is inborn in
the child, of that self-activity of mind which is the motive
power of education.
"There is a wide-spread idea that the country school is
inferior; if it is, it is not a matter of necessity. It ought
not to be so any longer. It is not so in many parts of the
country. Let the teachers in our rural schools avail them-selves
of all the means at their disposal, throw their life
into their work and the country schools can do for our chil-dren
that which the city schools may not even hope to
accomplish.
"We must first know the end which we hope to reach,
the aim which we may rightfully have in mind, and then
fix upon the method to be adopted. But when we exalt
' the method ' above the end, failure is inevitable. Educa-tion
consists of two things: obtaining knowledge and using
knowledge. We must, in our schools, have less to do with
percentages and so-called results, and more with capacity,
power to acquire, ability to retain, and skill to use.
" Any system which makes the promotion of children
from grade to grade during the first four or five years of
school life depend upon a certain per cent., as determined
by written examinations, is faulty in its construction and
injurious in its results. It is not only that the flushed
cheeks, the excited eye, and the trembling nerve, tell that
the brain is being forced to do unwonted work, but the
THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER. II7
wrong aim held up before the child is a far greater evil.
An honest effort on the part of th^ child is always to be
commended, even though it appears to result in failure.
Praise should be proportioned in accordance with the effort
put forth, rather than with the success achieved."
A PRAYER FOR HUSBAND AND WIFE.
Among the manuscripts of William Cullen Bryant the
following prayer was found, in his own handwriting. It
was written by him just after his marriage:
" May God Almighty mercifully take care of our happi-ness
here and hereafter. May we ever continue constant
to each other and mindful of our mutual promise of attach-ment
and truth. In due time, if it be the will of Provi-dence,
may we become more nearly connected with each
other, and together may we lead a long, happy and innocent
life, without any diminution of affection until we die.
" May there never be any jealousy, distrust, coldness or
dissatisfaction between us, nor occasion for any—nothing
but kindness, forbearance, mutual confidence and attention
to each other's happiness. And that we may be less un-worthy
of so great a blessing, may we be assisted to culti-vate
all the benign and charitable affections and offices not
only toward each other, but toward our neighbors, the
human race, and all the creatures of God. And in all
things wherein we have done ill may we properly repent of
our error, and may God forgive us and dispose us to do
better.
"When at last we are called to render back the life we
have received, may our death be peaceful and may God
take us to His bosom.
" All which may He grant for the sake of the Messiah."
Il8 THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER.
[for the north CAROLINA TEACHER.]
OLD MAMMY'S STORY.
A WAR-TIME REMINISCENCE OF THE ALBEMARLE SOUND.
BY THOMAS C. HARRIS, RALEIGH, N. C.
"How did it ever happen, Mammy, that Cousin Sue
married a Northern man? "
"Now jess lissen at dat chile," said Mammy, "what do
a little boy lak you know erbout Norf and Souf ?
"
"But Mammy," said Gaston, "I have read in my books
of a war here, when the Yankees and our folks fought bat-tles
and ever so many were killed, and the men who were
on opposite sides did not like each other."
"Well, honey,, hit do seem kinder quare when yer fust
thinks erbout it, but when yer comes ter know de whys an
de wharfores, hit don't seem so mighty cuis after all."
Mammy was a type of the old-time Southern nurse, old,
wrinkled and gray-haired, with a large bandanna handker-chief
tied over her head like a turban. Since her earliest
youth she had lived in the "great house," with the " white
folks," and her life's work had been the care of the chil-dren
of her owner. To her credit, be it said, she loved her
little charges as much as if they were her own flesh and
blood. And the children all loved "Mammy" just as
well. Several generations of children had known her
loving care, and her present charge, a handsome boy of
two years, was playing on the lawn near by, while the
question was asked by Gaston, a young cousin of the mis-tress
of the fine old mansion in the background.
"Lord bless your soul, honey, in course I knows all
erbout it, for won't I long er ole Miss all enjurin de war an'
er long time afore dat ? I was de fust nuss ole Miss ever
had, an' I toted her two boys in dese arms ontwell dey got
big ernufF ter git erlong widout pie.
" Miss Sue was de baby, an' ole Marse never call her
nothin' but Baby, eben after she done growed ter be a
THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER. II9
mighty likely young 'oraan, when de war fust broke out.
"Ah chile, dem was orful times, dat war was. We nig-gers
on de plantation didn't know nothin' erbout what
'twas ergwine ter be an' I don't s'pose de white folks did
neither. De way dey all talked an' de way de new com-pany
of sojers over at Edenton was er struttin' eroun' in
deir new clothes, wid de brass ban' er playin', you would
er thought 'twas ergwine ter be er fine frolick or somethin'
of de kind. We hadn't never seed our white folks ragged
and dirty an' hongry an' sick an' wounded an' all sich dis-truction
afore, an' I hope de like won't never come ergin.
"Dar was ole Marse, he jess sot his heart on dem two
boys, an' dey was fine, likely fellers, too. De oldes' was
de zact image of his father, but de other one was more lak
de L/Cwises. Dey bofe jined de coinp'ny an' dey looked
mighty fine in de sojer clothes when dey fust went off
" Dat day, when dey all went ter Richmon', ole Miss, she
almos' cry her eyes out, an' ole Marse, he diden'twant 'em
ter go at all, but dey would go. Dey said de trouble
woulden lass long afore dey all be comin' back ergin. De
oldes one, he never come back at all, an' de younges' was
shot mighty nigh all ter pieces an' died in de hospital.
But dat was further erlong in de war.
"Bimeby, when we heard dat de gunboats was a comin'
up de soun', most of de white folks 'round here begun ter
refugee. '
'
"What do you mean by refugeeing, Mammy?" asked
Gaston.
"Dat's when de white folks takes up all deir things dey
can move, an' goes off, outen de way of de inemy. Ole
Marse, he took two big waggins, loaded down wid clothes,
providgins an' furniture. He an' ole Miss went on de kyars
to a place he had in de mountings, while I went in de wag-gin
wid de drivers.
"When we got all fixed up in dat double log house, in
dat lonesome mountain gap, we was tollerble comfertable,
I20 THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER.
but de house an' de naybors wan't noways like what our
family had been used to. Most of dem mounting folks was
powerful poor an' ignorant, an' some of dem lived in
houses sich as our folks wouldn't keep a cow in. I see
one family in a little log shanty, whar you could fling a
cat throo de cracks 'tween de logs, an' de man don't seem
ter keer 'nough erbout it.ter mix up some clay an' stop de
cracks. De plantation here was left for de overseer ter git
erlong de bes' he knowed how.
"Dem mountings was powerful still an' lonesome an' de
roads jess perfeckly dredful, all up an down an' full of
rocks. No railroads or steamboats or nice houses or cotton-fields.
De folks had ter keep busy ter raise sumpin ter
eat, an' de kyards an' de spinnin' -wheel was agoin' in every
house. We made homespun clothes an' some of de folks
had wooden-bottom shoes. 1 didn't see a nice carridge de
whole two years I was up dar.
"Well, Miss Sue, she gits mighty lonesome an' down in
de mouth. Her pa and ma was all de time agrievin' erbout
de war an' de boys a sufiferin' in de army. To think of
dem boys, who was raised on de very bes' in de land, was
half starved an' ragged, and sometimes barfooted, was
'nough ter make ennybody grieve. Miss Sue didn't have
no comp'ny an' nowhar ter go, an' no books ter read, so
she gits up a little school of de naybors' chillen an' teached
in a little log school house close by de creek. Dere was a
high foot-log over de creek, and some of de chillen lived
on one side an' some on de other.
"Well, one day atter school done let out, she had ter
go back fer a book or somethin' she forgot. When she got
erbout half way across, her haid gin ter git dizzy, an' she
fell offen de log, plump in de creek. De water was deep
an' runs fast, an' soon as she rise ter de top it carries her
erlong, a stranglin' an' er sinkin'. She would sholy abin
drownded in a mighty few minits ef it hadn't bin fer a
THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER. 121
man who was ahidin' in de bushes. He jump in an' drug
her out an' toted her ter de school house, whar he built up
a good fire. By time her senses come back an' she gits
warm ergin, she makes him tell her all erbout it an' who he
was an' what he was adoin' dar.
"
"That was a good, brave man," said Gaston, "and I
wish I knew him."
"Never mind erbout dat, honey, wait erwhile an' you
will hear some more erbout him. He was a young Yankee
officer who had 'scaped outen de prison at Salisbury. He
an' some others dug a hole under de groun' from de tent
to de outside wall, whar de gyard stands. Dey wuk jess
lak er mole, ontwell dey digs de hole under de wall, an'
dey slips erway in de night.
"All de others got cotched, cep'n him, an' he was
mighty nigh starved ter death. All he had ter eat was a
little dry corn an' sich scraps an' tater peelins as de chillen
throwed away at de school house, whar he bin sleepin' fer
two or three nights.
"When Miss Sue, she heard all erbout his sufferin's,
she was so sorry for him an' glad 'cause he done an' save
her life, she said she was agwine ter help him all she could.
So de next day she slipped him a suit of ole clothes an' shoes,
somp'n ter eat, an' found out all erbout de roads an' gaps
in de mountings for him ter travel through, so he could
git through ter Tennessee, whar he might find some of his
folks. She got him a pistol an' overcoat too, from some-whar,
an' he left dar in de night, and nobody 'cep'n' Miss
Sue ever seed him or knowed he bin dar. She never said
a word to nobody about him twell long after de war was
over an' we was back here on de ole place ergin.
" Den come de hard times shore nufif. Bofe de boys was
daid, an' ole Marse jess grieved ter death-. An' ole Miss, she
all de time mighty poo'ly an' coud n't do nothin' but grieve.
De niggers was all free an' gone away, an' de house an'
122 THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER.
plantation all gone ter rack an' ruin. 'Sides all dat trou-ble,
ole Marse, he done left some debts what hatter be paid
off, an' de lawyers was erbout to sell everything to pay 'em.
"Miss Sue had all dat trouble ter b'ar on her young
shoulders, an' hit mighty nigh worried her ter death. Her
school and music scholars here was scasely nuff ter s'port
her an' her mother, in a way not half as good as she bin
use ter.
" Long erbout dat time dar was a stranger in town an'
he 'gin ter visit Miss Sue a right smart. He useter walk
home from school wid her, and sometimes he sont ole
Miss baskits er fruit an' papers ter read. Folks 'gin ter
say Miss Sue was agwine ter marry dat Major Williams,
but she says how she bound ter take keer of her mother
now, 'specially since dem lawyers done sold de old place
ter somebody way off yander, nobody knows who.
"An' de Major, he 'tend like he come down here ter hunt
an' fish, but anybody could see dat he was a huntin' j\Iiss
Sue a sight more'n he did de ducks on de soun'. He
'swade an' he 'swade her ter have him, but she say, 'not
yit, ' she can't leave her ole mother now an' she so pore.
She is jess bound ter take keer of her as long as she lives,
tho' she loves him well ernuff ter have him, he better
wait.
" Bimeby de cyarpenters an' painters come an' fix up de
ole house for de stranger what bought it, an' dey made hit
a sight better an' finer dan it ever was. Atter hit was all
ready an' full er new furniture, de naybors was all 'vited
ter a big dinin' an' de Major he took Miss Sue an' her
mother. When de dinner was all on de table an de
comp'ny all ready ter set down, dere was nobody ter set at
de head an' foot of de table. Nobody didn't know who
was de master of de house an' hadn't seed him nowhar.
" De folks all stand at deir places an' de Major he come in
wid ole Miss an' Miss Sue. He 'lowed it won't wuth
THE NORTH CAROUNA TEACHER. 1 23
while ter wait no longer, an' he put Miss Sue at one eend
of de table an' he tuk de other. Den he look eroun' an'
says grace mighty solium. Now dey jess find out who
'twas had bought de place. Hit was de Major hisself, an'
he say he was a gwine ter live dar, if he can git somebody
ter keep house fer him.
" Hit was a mighty good dinner an' de fines' I ever see,
an' I have waited on some mio;htv good tables in ole times.
Some of de bess fixin's come from de North and was differ-ent
from our way of cookin'.
"Atter de dinner was over an' dey was all drinkin' wine
outen dem little glasses, de Major say he was agwine ter
tell 'em a little story. He tole erbout a young soldier in
de war who was cotched an' put in prison at Salisbury.
How he dug his way out an' 'scaped in de mountings whar
he got lost an' mighty nigh starved ter death. Den how
he happen ter see a certain young lady fall in de deep water
an' he swim in an' git her out. An' how she was sorry
fer him an' git him vittles an' clothes an' showed him how
ter git away an' so saved his life.
" When he tole dat, Miss Sue she looked mighty s' prised
an' red in de face an' hide her face behine her fan, but de
Major he went on all de same. Den he tole how he
s' arched everywhar, when de war was over, ter find dat
young lady, an' when he finds her she didn't know him.
How he goes ter see her a long time an' try ter 'swade her
ter have him, but she say 'not yit. ' Den he tell how he
is dat soldier an' Miss Sue is de same young lady, an' he
wants ter take keer of her an' her mother too.
" De folks all gits mighty 'cited, an' all gits 'round Miss
Sue an' her mother an' say hit was jess too pritty a story
not to be true, an' she was jess bound ter have de Major
atter all dat. Dey say de Major is jess de same as our
folks, ef he was a Yankee, an' Miss Sue didn't do nothin'
but put her haid on her mother's shoulder an' cry.
124 THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER.
"An' ole Miss, she cry too, and bimeby she took Miss
Sue's han' an' put it in de Major's han' an' kissed dem
bofe.
" Now dat's how come Miss Sue ter marry de Major an'
she aint never been sorry erbout it neither."
THREE DANGEROUS WOMEN.
"Beware of three women—the one who does not love
children, the one who does not love flowers, and she who
openly declares she does not like other women," says a
recent writer.
There is something wanting in such, and in all proba-bility
its place is supplied by some unlovely trait.
As Shakespeare says of him who has no soul for music,
such a woman "is fit for treason, strategy and spoils," and
a woman intent on those is ten thousand times worse than
any man could be, for, standing higher, she can fall lower.
Men may smile and jest a little over the tenderness lav-ished
on a baby, but, after all, the prattle every womanly
woman involuntarily breaks into at the sight of the tiny
beings, is very sweet to masculine ears.
It was the first language they ever knew, and, in spite of
the jest or smile, the sweetest on wife's or sweetheart's lips.
They may laugh, too, at the little garden tools, which
seem like playthings to their strength; but in their hearts
they associate, and rightly, purity of character and life
with the pursuit of gardening.
And, as for the woman who does not care for her own
sex and boldly avows it, she is a coquette pure and simple,
and one of the worst and lowest type too, as a general
thin Of.
THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER. 1 25
[for the north CAROLINA TEACHER.]
NORTH CAROLINA IN THE WAR FOR INDE-PENDENCE—
FAMILIAR LETTERS.
BV GENERAL HENRY B. CARRINGTON, AUTHOR OF "BATTLES OF THE
AMERICAN REVOLUTION."
INTRODUCTORY NOTE.
Nearly fifty years ago, while Mr. Washington Irving
was completing his "Life of Washington," it was my privi-lege
to act, for a time, as his amanuensis, being Professor
of Natural Science and Greek at the Irving Institute, New
York, in which, as one of the patron examiners, he took a
deep interest.
During a ride to White Plains, one Saturday, where he
was hoping to collect a debt, in spite of his habitual neg-lect
of such business matters, in response to the question,
"Please, sir, show me where the Battle of White Plains
took place," he replied "There was no battle of White
Plains. I will explain to you as we go back." On our
return I stopped the old sorrel horse which lazily hauled
the somewhat dilapidated Jersey Rockaway wagon, and, at
his request, took down some fence bars and drove to the
top of Chatterton Hill. This hill, very abrupt in front,
towards the River Bronx, which flowed between it and
General Howe's camp, and guarded by General McDougal,
supported by Capt. Alexander Hamilton's two nine-pounder
guns, not only overlooked but completely flanked
the British left wing. General Leslie in vain tried to dis-lodge
the Americans by direct attack, for the ascent was
too steep for the guns of either side to be handled safely to
the gunners themselves. At last Colonel Rhal, afterwards
killed at Trenton, ascended from the rear, forced the posi-tion
and compelled the Americans to withdraw, just as
General Washington was about to support McDougal with
126 THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER.
Putnam's division. The American army was at once with-drawn
to North Castle Heights, which were thoroughly
fortified. General Howe declined to pursue or even to an-noy
the retreating patriots, reporting to his government
that he had "political reasons" for not pressing upon
Washington's retiring force.
THE FIRST AMERICAN TRAITOR.
Mr. Irving's views coincided with those of most his-torians
who claimed that Howe dreaded another Bunker
Hill disaster and preferred to strike Fort Washington before
it could be made impregnable by added reinforcements. It
has since been ascertained from British records, which dis-close
an attenvpt to obtain compensation for the treason,
that Adjutant William Daraont deserted to Howe's army
and placed in his hands such minute details of the defensive
works that, in spite of the otherwise magnificent and
destructive resistance, the British troops were able to gain
access to the interior of the works and the rear of the
defenders by a very difficult but undefended approach.
This first treason materially shaped the campaign and
forced the evacuation of Fort Lee, just across the Hudson
river, and inaugurated the operations in New Jersey, which
so soon followed. The historical scholar will also see why
so many different opinions have been expressed as to the
feasibility of retaining Fort Washington, which, but for
this treason of Daraont, seemed capable, as Green stoutly
maintained, of successful defence.
The introduction of this incident is not foreign to the
purpose of these letters. Mr. Irving fully discussed the
campaign in all its relations, and the impressions were so
abiding that before a week passed Chatterton Hill and its
surroundings were carefully mapped and the delineations
were approved by him. The genial scholar, in his quiet
THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER. 1 27
way, remarked, "That is just what will have to be done
for ever}' decisive battle-field of the Revolution before
justice can be done to either army. The Hessians were
not all of them savages, neither were the American militia
often cowards. The real heroism was often most sublime,
while the immediate results seemed only disaster." To
the impulsive reply, " I'll do it, and make those maps if it
takes ten years," he earnestly answered, "It will take a
generation, sir." Not only must topographical surveys be
made, but every old field-note, considered worthless, and
probably defaced by time, must be examined, restored
when practicable, and applied to the map by some military
expert before the impartial result can be declared.
BATTLE-FIELDS OF THE SOUTH.
The deepest impress made upon the mind, and one con-firmed
by subsequent interviews as reviewed the operations
that led up to the surrender of Cornwallis, was his statement
that the war at the South was not so entirely arrested, as
many claimed, by the heroism of Lee, Horry, Marion,
Washington and Sumter, in their detached partisan opera-tions,
as by the rare militia material which took courage
from the daring of the partisan bauds, as from well drilled
regulars, who knew no fear and often despised odds; and
at Cowpens, Hobkirk Hill, as well as at Guilford Court
House, fought stubbornly under trying ordeals, when even
the Continental troops flinched under the storm.
This is confirmed by the fact that all these partisan lead-ers
supplemented their detached operations by good battle-service,
and it is never to be forgotten that the militia, sud-denly
called from their homes, left their families and all
that they valued at the mercy of Tory neighbors, who
spared no atrocities of a border guerilla warfare in their
plots to exterminate the Patriots in their midst. British
128 THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER.
spies infested every neighborhood, and hung about every
isolated plantation, caring nothing for law, but wholly
bent upon plunder and some apology for the confiscation of
the property of all who rejected royal authority.
In the belief that teachers and youth will take more
pride in the revolutionary record of their State by brief
glances at the heroism of her people, who, with scarcely
any military training or preparation, enabled General Green
to rescue the South and force Cornwallis to his doom, these
familiar letters are penned.
I have long known, and with some intimacy, descend-ants
of the McDowells and Shelbys who figured conspicu-ously
in that field of struggle and of the Battle of Cowpens,
so successfully planned and fought, it ma^^ be truly said,
that few battles 6f the war so honored the troops engaged,
and few were more timely to inspire the whole nation with
the assurance of final triumph.
The first resistance to British authority, which drew
blood, was in the Old North State. The first overt asser-tion
of independence of Great Britain was in the Old North
State. Her people know it by tradition, and formal his-tory
yields her recognition; but it may be that a conversa-tional
grouping of the facts will inspire young men and
maidens to a fuller research, and inspire even teachers with
new pride in the names and memories of ]\Iecklenburg and
Alamance.
When your pupils seem to be listless and dull, throw
open the windows and doors, have all the school to stand
up and sing two or three familiar stanzas from "North
Carolina School Songs," and you will find new life in the
school for that session.
THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER. 129
THE NEWSPAPER IN SCHOOL.
BY I.UCY HAYES MACOUEEN.
The newspaper can be put to a great deal of intelligent
use. One bright teacher has his pupils give one bit of
news, political, social, in fact any except police news,
every morning, in the time devoted to .general exercises,
and every pupil is expected to write one "reporter's nose-gay"
every week and hand it to the teacher. It must be
neatly written, spelled correctly, and punctuated properly.
It must be an account of something the pupil saw on the
street during the week. These "nosegays" are eagerly
read by the boys on Friday afternoon, and a committee of
two boys and the teacher decide which one is the best; it
is then sent to one of the local newspapers and always
printed.
One geography specialist, a lady employed at a large sal-ary
in one of our cities, uses the newspaper constantly in
her classes. The shipping-list is given to the pupils, who
find where every port mentioned is situated, and learn from
the cargoes brought to and from these ports something of
their resources.
Many teachers read the paper every morning to their
pupils. They employ about five minutes' time, and select
judiciously from the sheet.
In teaching " stocks and bonds " in arithmetic the news-paper
is a great help, and every teacher should instruct
pupils how to read the quotations understandingly.
The editorials, when particularly good, should be read
aloud as a reading lesson now and then.
Boys, especially, are interested in work like this. They
are quick to see the practical benefit of it. Indeed, teach-ers
should aim at fitting boys and girls for practical life.
—
Exchange.
130 THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER.
[for the north CAROLINA TEACHER.]
ANCIENT WRITERS.
BY MISS ETTAH TAYLOR, CALLOWAY, VA.
Yes, praise, glory and honor to the sublime poets, artists
and philosophers!
" Worship the bards sublime, •*
Whose distant footsteps echo
Though the corridors of time."
The opinions of contemporaries may be influenced by
style and biased judgment; the animadversions of learned
persons may be imbued with favoritism, but the universal
voice of millions has demonstrated the ancient writers to
be the quintessence of all that is aesthetic in science or art.
The writers of long ago speak to the heart through pas-sion—
giving an elucidation of nature, and in their charac-ters
a real picture of life. Thus they have given books
which " were not for an age, but for all time," and will be
perused with increasing admiration through all the ages.
Their productions are replete with soundness of intellect
and imagination—realms of fancy, of beauty, of life,
"studded as a frosty night with stars." Wonderful indeed
are the compositions of the grand old writers; they soar to
the highest heaven of invention. Those who have dived
deeply into the classics have to wander through the shady
places of philosophy with Plato, to follow the soaring of
Aristotle's eagle intellect, to listen to the chime of Homer's
oceanic harmony, and to the more irregular music of Pin-dar
or sad Electra's poet.
The study of the ancient writers can but elevate those
who desire to acquire a just knowledge of the old masters
in literature, and through this medium hold communion
with the great souls and high thoughts of ancient times.
The classic compositions of Greece and Rome challenge
our admiration as immortal mausoleums of refinement and
THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER. I31
taste—models from which authors have derived their best
copies and highest inspiration.
The predominant writers speak for themselves. There
are few things in modern philosophy of which we do not
find a hint in ancient writings. The idea of gravitation
that Newton was supposed to have received from the fall
of an apple was probably an impression obtained from the
writings of Lucretius. Ovid must have had a very just
conception of universal laws of space when he speaks of
the earth as brought forth from chaos and hung suspended
in mid-air by the reciprocal attractions of gravitation.
Of all the great writers, the poets stand upon the highest
pedestal. Homer is one of the great evangelists of the
human mind, a representative of the mystic age, taken in
its sublimest manifestation. Next in order comes Virgil.
He becomes the jewel of the golden age of Roman letters--
the Augustan age. Dante may be mentioned as the most
important writer of mediaeval literature. The two bright-est
stars in musical composition are Beethoven and Mozart,
whose lofty melodies have re-echoed within the walls of
"Imperial Rome," and held captivated the heart of man
throughout the civilized world—now by the great strain of
music, chanting forth its last melancholy harbinger to a
wicked world, or again sending forth the happy strains of
" Gloria in Excelsis."
The ancient writers are so numerous that it would be
impossible to mention them all. In painting we have
Raphael, "justly termed the father of dramatic painting.
"
The painter can represent upon a small canvass a whole
scene; his power in the portrayal of passion is almost won-derful.
Egypt justly claimed the title of mother of arts.
As long as "time rolls his ceaseless course," the ancient
authors will be appreciated and will be given a place in the
"temple of human genius." Yes, glory and honor to
greatness!
132 THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER.
IN TME 5CMOOL-ROOM
TO THE BOYS.
You'll never discover new lands, my boys,
If you always follow the beaten track.
You'll never stand firm on the mountain height
If you're always halting and gazing back.
Strike out for yourself, but be sure the path
Is not girt with the noxious weeds of sin.
That no sharp edged rocks of some deadly vice
Or pitfalls of folly be found therein.
Choose the path of honor and virtue, boys,
And let no one tempt you to swerve aside;
Its guideboards—temperance, purity., truth
—
Who follows their guidance few dangers betide.
There may not be wealth and fame at the end.
But wealth and fame do not constitute bliss.
A pure, perfect manhood, and noble life
—
There's nothing worth striving for, boys, but this.
COST OF AN EDUCATION.
A new book, published by the Harpers, gives the cost
of an education in 1823: "Tuition, $8; chamber rent,
$3.34; damages, 45 cents; average damages, 15 cents;
sweeping, $1.11; library, 50 cents; monitor, 5 cents; cata-logues,
8 cents; bell, 11 cents; reciting room, 25 cents;
chemical lectures, 25 cents; fines, 20 cents—total, $14.49.
The fines were generally for absence from recitations, but
a later term bill shows a fine of 25 cents for unnecessary
walking on the Sabbath, a charge that would astonish the
father of any collegian of the present day."
THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER. 1 33
A CASE OF PUNCTUATION.
Write this on the blackboard and have pupils punctuate
correctly.
Every lady in every land
Has twenty nails on each hand;
Five and twenty on hands and feet:
This is true without deceit.
WEATHER HINTS.
Watch the sky for what are called* " mares' -tails. " These
appearing after clear weather show the track of the wind
in the sky. A rosy sunset predicts fair weather. A red
sky in the morning foretells bad weather. A gray sky in
the morning means fine weather. If the first streaks of
light at dawn are seen above a bank of clouds, look out for
wind; if they are close to or on the horizon, the weather
will be fair. In general, soft, delicate colors in the sky,
with indefinite forms of clouds, mean fair weather; gaudy,
unusual colors, and hard-edged clouds mean rain, and prob-ably
wind.
A dark, gloomy, blue sky is windy; but a bright, light-blue
sky indicates fine weather. Generally, the softer
clouds look, the less wind (but perhaps more rain) may be
expected; and the harder, more "greasy," rolled, tufted,
or ragged, the stronger the coming wind will prove.
A bright yellow sky at sunset presages wind; a pale yel-low,
wet; orange or copper-colored, wind and rain.
These are some of the most important points about
weather which have been set down in the books by old and
experienced sailormen. If the young yachtsman will bear
them in mind, and at the same time keep an eye on his
instruments, he will not often be taken unawares by bad
weather.
—
Harpef s Young People.
134 I'HE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER.
BEST METHOD OF FINDING INTEREST.
It is astonishing how the old method of casting interest
clingfs to the text-books as the best method. The best
method, in our experience, is the following—a method
which the Popular Educator SLviihrnQtic recommends: It is
(i) a method easily understood; (2) it is along the line of
the method used in oral work; and (3) it avoids all fractions
except the decimal.
The rule would be: Find the interest of the principal for
one month at 6^, and multiply by the time expressed in
months and tenths of a month.
It is very easy to show the pupil that the interest for
two months, or sjxty days, would be .01 of the principal.
Removing the point two places to the left finds it. Again,
it is quite as easy to show to the pupil that three days is .1
of a month, and that, therefore, every three days would
give a tenth of the month. The fractions ^3 and -/ can
be stated decimally as .33 and .66 respectively—to illus-trate:
1. What is the interest of $450 for 2 years 3 months 9
days, at 6;?;?
$4 I 50 = interest for two months.
2
I 25 = " " one month.
27.3 ^ time expressed in months and tenths of a month.
$61,425 = interest.
2. What is the interest of $1,200 for 3 years 4 months
28 days, at 6^?
$12
I 00= interest for two months.
6
I
00 = " " one month.
40.933 X 6 = $245.60. Ans.
—
-Journal of Education.
It is not so much we that make our reputation, as it is
others who make it tor us.
THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER. 135
Richard Grant
speare, " gives thi
old documents.
Chacksper,
Shakespear,
Schakespeire,
Shagspere,
Shakespeire,
Schakesper,
Shaxper,
Shaxsper,
Shakespere,
Shakaspeare,
Shakspeere,
SHAKESPEARE.
White, in " Life and Genius of Shake-rty-
two different spellings, all taken from
The foliowins- are the forms:
Schakespeyr,
Shakspere,
Shakspeyr,
Shackespeare,
Shaxpur,
Shaxspere,
Shackspere,
Shakspear,
Shackspeare,
Shakespeare,
Shakespeer,
Shakespire,
Shaxespere,
Shaxpere,
Shackespere,
Schakspear,
Shaksper,
Schaksper,
Shakyspere,
Shaxpeare,
Saxpere.
CHILDREN OF THE YEAR.
(Twelve children may give the following recitation: They
should stand in a semicircle, and, in turn, step to the center
to recite. Each may hold some symbol of the month he
represents—April, a bunch of violets; June, a scythe; July,
an ear of corn, etc.)
January, worn and gray.
Like an old pilgrim by the way,
Watches the snow, and shivering, sighs.
As the wild curlew round him flies;
Or, huddled underneath a thorn.
Sits praying for the lingering morn.
February, bluff and bold,
O'er furrows striding, scorns the cold;
And with horses, two abreast,
Makes the keen plow do its best.
136 THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER.
Rough March comes blustering down the road,
In his wrath-hand the oxen's goad;
Or, with a rough and angry haste,
Scatters the seed o'er the dark waste.
April, a child, half tears, half smiles,
Trips full of little playful wiles;
And, laughing 'neath her rainbow hood.
Seeks the wild violet in the wood.
May, the bright maiden, singing goes,
• Each day from early morn to evening's close.
Watching the lambs leap in the dell,
List'ning to the simple village bell.
June, with' the mower's scarlet face.
Moves over the clover field apace.
And fast his crescent scythe sweeps on
O'er spots from whence the lark has flown.
July, the farmer, happy fellow,
Laughs to see the corn grow yellow;
The heavy grain he tosses up
From his right hand as from a cup.
August, the reaper, cleaves his way
Through golden waves at break of day;
Or, on his wagon piled with corn.
At sunset, home is proudly borne.
September, with his baying hound,
Leaps fence and pale at every bound;
And casts into the wind in scorn
All cares and danger from his horn.
October comes, a woodman old,
Fenced with tough leather from the cold;
Round swings his sturdy ax, and lo!
A fir-branch falls at every blow.
THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER. 1 37
November cowers before the flame,
Bleared crone, forgetting her own name;
Watches the blue smoke curling rise.
And broods upon old memories.
December, fat and rosy, strides.
His old heart warm, well clothed his sides.
With kindly word for young and old.
The cheerier for the bracing cold;
Laughing a welcome, open flings
His doors, and as he does it sings. —Selected.
MANAGING THE BAD BOY.
Give the bad boy a chance to reform. Show him at the
beginning of the term that you believe in him and trust
him, no matter what evil reports you may have heard con-cerning
him.
Take him into your confidence and, above all, give him
something to do for you; sooner or latter, you will find that
you have " managed" him without his suspecting it in the
least.
Miss T. received a message in school one day calling her
to another teacher's room.
Turning to the " bad boy " she said:
"Joe, you may take charge of the room while I am
absent."
With an amusing assumption of dignity, he marched up
to the desk and took charge.
Entering the room noiselessly on returning, she found the
room in perfect order, and Joe took his seat with the air of
one who has performed his duty well, as she dismissed him
with a "Thank you, Joe, you have done well."
Another afternoon a boy had finished his work before
the rest of the class, and he was not one of the kind that
138 THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER.
will occupy their spare time with something useful of their
own accord. So, seeing him idle, she addressed him:
"Willie, I have some copying here that I haven't time
to do myself. You can write nicely, will you do it for me ?
"
Of course he would and did, working away a long time
quite patiently. And he did it nicely, too. The best of
it was, the rest of the boys thought he was highly honored
and besieged her for "copying" to do.
I WOULDN'T BE CROSS.
BY MRS. M. E. SANGSTER.
I would n't be cross, dear, 'tis never worth while;
Disarm the vexation by wearing a smile.
Let hap a disaster, a trouble, a loss.
Just meet the thing boldly and never be cross.
I wouldn't be cross, dear, with the people at home.
They love you so fondly; whatever may come,
You may count on the kinsfolk around you to stand,
O, loyally true, in a brotherly band!
So, since the fine gold far exceedeth the dross,
I would n't be cross, dear, I would n't be cross.
I zvouldn'' t be cross with a stranger. Ah, no!
To the pilgrims we meet on the life path we owe
This kindness, to give them good cheer as they pass.
To clear out the flint-stones and plant the soft grass.
No, dear, with a stranger, in trial or loss,
I perchance might be silent; I wouldn't be cross.
No bitterness sweetens, no sharpness may heal
The wound which the soul is too proud to reveal.
No envy hath peace; by a fret and a jar
The beautiful work of our hands we may mar.
Let happen what may, dear, of trouble and loss,
I would71' t be cross, love, I would n't be cross.
THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER. 1 39
THE ALPHABET OF HEALTH.
(Recitation for Intermediate Grade.)
All healthy folks are active and bright.
Be sure to go to bed early each night.
Children, be careful, and keep dry feet
—
Damp shoes are neither healthful nor neat.
Eat slowly, and choose the simplest food
—
Fresh fruit is dainty, and tempting, and good.
Garments should never be worn too tight
—
Hats should always be airy, and light.
If you would be happy, and healthy, and gay,
Just stay in the sunshine the livelong day.
Keep your heart pure and your temper sweet;
Let your dress and your home be always neat.
Many have died from lack of pure air.
No child can keep well without constant care.
Old rags and trash should never be kept
—
People thrive best in a house well-swept.
Quick motion brings to boys and girls
Red cheeks, bright eyes, and dancing curls.
See that the water you drink is pure,
'Tis better than coffee, or tea, I assure.
Use all your wits to prevent mistakes;
Very sad are troubles they often make.
Walk every day as much as you can;
X-ercise makes the strong woman or man.
Your health is your wealth, and well worth pain
—
Zeal in its care is never in vain. —Little Men and Women.
It is said that a little boy in the western part of our
State has learned to spell correctly all the names of North
Carolina minerals in the "North Carolina Spelling Book."
THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER.
CHEERFUL STUDY.
Orthography is commonly reckoned a pretty dry subject,
but there is no branch or knowledge but may be brightened
by a skillful teacher. A visitor was chatting with the little
daughter of the family.
" What do you study at school ? " he asked.
" Readin' an' writin' an' 'rithmetic an' 'spellin'."
"Well, well ! What a bright little girl you are! x-lnd
which study do you like the best " ?
"Spellin'."
" Indeed! Most children do not. Why do you like
spelling?"
" 'Cause every time I spell a word the teacher laughs."
LETTERS FROM OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
A number of letters were received this month from our
little friends in the schools, but only two in time for pub-lication
in this number of The Teacher. W"e want a
letter from every school in North Carolina for publication,
and teachers can prepare no more instructive exercise than
to have every pupil, on Friday afternoon, write a letter to
The Teacher, and the best one should be sent for publi-cation.
Letters should be from three to six pages of note
paper and written in ink on only one side of the sheet.
Princeton, Johnston County, N. C, Dec. 4, 1S94.
Mr. E. G. Harrell, Editor N. C. Teacher, Raleigh, N. C.
Dear Sir—Each of my schoolmates has written to you of our school
and her home, but as I am studying letter writing, I will write to
you too.
My father, Skidmore Howell, is a farmer. We are eight in family.
I have three sisters snd two brothers younger than myself. I'm four-teen
and the oldest child. I have to work on the farm, plough, plant,
THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER. 141
chop and gather corn, cotton, peas, potatoes, etc. We have the neces-saries
of life and are happy.
I started to school when I was six. I'm now fourteen and during the
nine years that have elapsed I have been in school just fourteen months,
or one year and four months.
Miss Charity Atkinson is my teacher. I'm anxious to be educated.
There are forty-three pupils in school. I stud^' arithmetic, grammar,
physiology, writing, reading, geography and spelling. Our school-house
is very open. There are cracks in the floor large enough to put
my fingers through. It is very cold in the winter to sit in a school-room
with such an open floor. I live about one and one-half miles
from school.
As I have nothing more to tell you, I will close my letter.
Very respectfully, Dora Howei<I/.
[This is a good letter for a little girl who has been to
school only fourteen months in all her life. It is a fine
testimonial both to the faithfulness of her teachers and the
diligence of the pupil.
—
Editor.]
Prince;ton, Johnston County, N. C, Dec. 3, 1894.
Mr. E. G. Harrell, Editor N. C. Teacher, Raleigh, N. C.
Dear Sir—My teacher. Miss Charity E. Atkinson, told the school
that you would like to have a letter from every school in the State, and
I have concluded to write.
My father, N. B. Lynch, is a farmer. We are ten in family—father,
mother, two sisters and two brothers older than I, myself and twin sister,
who are fifteen; twin brothers, who are eleven; one little sister and one
little brother. We have to work in the field. I help plant, plough, chop
and gather corn, cotton and peas ; but for all that I'm happy and con-tented.
I began school at six ; I'm fifteen now ; therefore I've been in
school through the public school season, which is generally two months
in summer and two months in winter, nine years. As we had no school
last summer we think we will have four this term. I'm glad that we are
to have a long school, for I am anxious for an education.
We have a small schoolroom with cracks in the floor that I can put
my finger through. We have plenty of nice wood to burn, but before
we got our sawdust carpet, cold days we were very uncomfortable. I
think I would like very much to be a teacher, but don't think I would
like to teach in such a house as this often. There are forty-two pupils
in school. I study arithmetic, grammar, physiology, writing, reading,
geography and spelling. My class will commence history after Xmas.
I hope you will like my letter, for I have worked hard to get it written.
With many good wishes, I am, respectfully,
Laura Lynch.
142 THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER.
[We have enjoyed your nice letter, Laura, and feel sure
that it will interest all who read it. The children in our
towns and cities do not realize the many difficulties in the
way of our country children in securing an education. It
is a matter of great pride to us to know that our boys and
girls in the country are doing so well in school even in the
face of all the obstacles, and we congratulate the teachers
upon the marked success of their work which is done in a
very short school term and at a ridiculously small salary.
—
Editor. ]
THE SWEETEST THING.
What are the sweetest things on earth?
Lips that can praise a rival's worth;
A fragrant rose that hides no thorn;
Riches of gold untouched by scorn.
A happy little child asleep;
Eyes that can smile though they may weep;
A brother's cheer, a father's praise;
The minstrelsy of summer days.
A heart where anger never burns;
A gift that looks for no returns.
Wrongs overthrown; pain's swift release:
Dark footsteps guided into peace.
The light of love in lover's eyes;
Age that is young as well as wise,
A mother's kiss, a baby's mirth
—
These are the sweetest things on earth. —Mankmd.
EDITORIAL.
"Carolina! Carolina I Heaven's blessings attend hev,
While me live oie ttiill cherish, protect and defend her;
Though the scorner may sneer at and uiitlings defame her,
Our hearts smell oiith gladness whenever me name her."
WHO ARE WE, ANYHOW?
The Teacher has been trying for years to find out
whether or not the people of the United States have a
nationality, if so, what it is. In educational reports we
speak of " Negro schools and white schools," and while we
well understand that " Negro " schools, "Indian " schools,
"Chinese" schools mean the schools for a particular race,
we know that "white schools" mean simply nothing at
all. Who are we, anyhow ? Have we any race name at
all? If so, what is it? To write "Caucasian" schools
would be nonsense, to write "American" schools would
be untrue, to write "English" schools would be absurd.
Then what kind of schools have the majority of the people
of the United States ? To write in a report " Negro schools
2,000, ^/le other kmd^ 3,000," would be supremely ridicu-lous—
but what shall we say instead, to be truthful ? The
Teacher intends never again to use the terms " white "
schools and " colored" schools, as these terms mean nothing
at all. The term "colored schools" may be applied with
equal truth to schools for Chinese or Indians, and "white
schools" may be used in speaking of all the schools of
Europe—including almost every nationality of people who
144 THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER.
happen to be of the Caucasian race. And we will be glad
to have a race name for our people, as the Negroes have a
race name for themselves which they have universally ap-proved.
Now, teachers, please tell us who we are.
Please inform us promptly of changes you may make
in your location for the new year.
You WILL find several very fine original articles in this
number of The Teacher. The papers by General Car-rinofcon
and Miss Tavlor cannot be read without benefit.
We are greatly pleased at the number of new subscrip-tions
and renewals for the month. They show an increas-ing
interest in The Teacher and appreciation of its work
for our North Carolina schools.
This has been a hard financial year throughout the
whole country, alike with our schools as with every other
business interest. It is encouraging, however, to know
that the new political party in power has promised better
things for the new year.
In future The Teacher will be issued as near as pos-sible
on the last day of each current month. This is done
in order that we may give our readers all the educational
news for the month in which the journal is dated. We
think you will be pleased with this plan.
To OUR County Superintendents we say that we want to
place The Teacher in the hands of every teacher in
their counties for the new year. This is the only educa-tional
journal that is specially interested in building up
North Carolina schools and aiding our teachers and super-intendents
in their work.
It now seems quite certain that the Legislature will
establish the Reform School for young criminals, which
institution the teachers of North Carolina have been work-
THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHKR. 1 45
ing for through their Assembly for several years. Most of
the party leaders of the Legislature have already expressed
their hearty approval of the proposition to establish the
Reform School.
The prize offered by The Teacher for the best letter
from our little folks in the schools will be awarded on the
first day of May. It will be a nice set of some author's
works, and it will be a prize well worthy the effort of any
boy or girl. We hope teachers will encourage their pupils
to compete for this prize, as the effort will greatly benefit
them in the rare and valuable art of good letter writing.
It was a very beautiful sight enjoyed by the people of
Raleigh during the Christmas week, when every train en-tering
the city from every direction was filled to its utmost
with handsome and happy boys and girls returning to their
homes from the various schools to spend the holidays.
The Union Station was crowded every day with Raleigh
people to wave "a Happy Christmas" to the merry men
and maidens.
We have in hand a number of applications for positions
by competent teachers and we will be glad to put princi-pals
and school officers in correspondence with them. We
never recommend a teacher for a position unless we know
that the teacher is thoroughly competent and will give sat-isfaction.
There is no charge whatever for any service we
may render any teacher or school officer in securing a po-sition
or a teacher.
It is pleasant to see so many teachers visiting about
the State during the holidays. The admirable social work
of the Teachers' Assembly during the past ten years has
largely increased visiting among our teachers for renewing
and further enjoying the pleasant friendships formed at
Morehead City during the annual session of the Assembly.
Every visit among our teachers makes better and more am-bitious
teachers for North Carolina. 3
146 THE NORTH CAROIvINA TEACHER.
The sales of "The North Carolina Practical Spelling
Book" have doubled every month this season, and teach-ers
everywhere freely express their pleasure in using the
book. New schools are adopting the book every day and
the orders now in hands of the publishers are far ahead of
the printer and binder. The third edition will come from
the press about January loth and all orders can be filled
immediately upon receipt of them.
Thousands of teachers who have spent such happy days
at the Teachers' Assembly while guests of the Atlantic
Hotel, under the excellent management of Mr. B. ly. Perry,
will be sorry to learn that he has been for several months
confined to his home in Raleigh by very serious and pain-ful
illness. The sincere sympathies of the teachers go out
to their good friends, Mr. Perry and his amiable wife,
and they hope for his speedy and complete restoration to
health.
On every hand we are often asked " What is the Legis-lature
going to do with the schools?" We have as yet
no reliable information on the subject except that the dom-inant
party in the General Assembly is pledged to provide
a four months public school in every district, and if this is
done it will be a good long step forward for education in
North Carolina. We cannot see just now by what finan-cial
process this great boon is to be secured to the children
of the State, but we hope that the lawmakers will devise
some successful plan for accomplishing this much desired
object.
We believe, from close observation and careful enquiry,
that a more thorough and a higher grade of work was done
in North Carolina by the colleges and the University
during the year 1894 than at any other period of our his-tory.
Most of these institutions have raised the standard
of their curriculum and are gradually placing it still
THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER. I47
higher, and it is no longer necessary for a North Carolina
boy or girl to go from the State to be educated to the equal
of any. The excellence of our finishing schools is bring-ing
many hundreds of students here from other States,
both North and South, to be educated. This is a fact of
which we are very proud.
The Southern Educational Association held its
annual session at Galveston, Texas, December 26-28.
Texas promised to send four thousand teachers if the meet-ing
should be held during the holidays instead of in mid-summer.
We have always been opposed to the change
from a summer meeting, but of course could not make ob-jection
in the face of such a liberal guarantee of attendance
as was made by the "Lone Star State." We have not yet
heard any particulars of the meeting, but we trust that it
was both pleasant and in every way successful. It could
not be expected that many persons could attend from
remote points, as the railroads discriminate against the
Association and charge an excessive rate of mileage for such
meetings. For the next annual session of the Southern
Educational Association The Teacher nominates July
I, 2, 3 at Morehead City, N. C. Rates of board can be
secured at only one dollar a day, with every facility for en-joyment
and recreation at a most popular seaside summer
resort. The North Carolina teachers have built at that
point an elegant two-story building containing ten large
section rooms and one of the best auditoriums in the South.
The building is supplied with everything needed for educa-tional
work, and the location is so convenient that the
meeting of the Association would draw visitors from many
of the Northern States. Midwinter meetings, if persisted
in, will prove the death of the Southern Educational Asso-ciation.
It has been said that the winter meeting was
arranged in the interest of some other educational meeting
to be held next summer.
148 THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER.
ABOUT OUR TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS.
Miss Martha A. Cooke is teaching at Franklintou.
Miss Emma NowelIv is teaching at Ahoskie, and she reports a good
school.
Miss Bessie Moring is a member of the Faculty of Fair View college,
Buncombe County.
Miss Annie L. Davis, of Rich Square, will take a public school at
Severn, on January i.
Miss Sai,i<ie Newlin is training the " young ideas how to shoot," at
Folkston, Cleveland County.
Mr. Atlas Thomas is principal of the academy at Kimesville, Guil-ford
County, and the school is succeeding finely.
Miss Annie Williams, of Halifax County, has taken charge of the
public school at Graysburg for a four months' term.
Miss MaTTIE R. Copeland is teaching at Aulander, and says that she
is located among the kindest and best people in the world.
Mr. Eli Stewart will continue his successful high school at Mackey's
Ferry, and he proposes to give the boys a course in military drill.
Miss Sophia C. Morton has taken a private school at Lake Wacca-maw.
She will be director of music at the Teachers' Assembly next June.
Miss Maggie E. Gainey has a private school near Sherwood's, and
we trust that the new year will bring her additional prosperity in her
faithful work.
Miss Lucie G. Freeman has resigned her position as principal of the
academy near Rocky Mount to take charge of a school near her home
at Rolesville.
Wake Forest College is raising 125,000 additional endowment, to
be applied specially to the " Royal Chair." A Northern benefactor has
contributed |5,ooo of the amount.
Miss Agnes Grady, one of our most excellent teachers, has charge
of the primary department of the Neapolis graded school ( ) and
Superintendent F. H. Wheatly writes us that he is very proud of her
and her admirable work.
Rev. W. G. Clements, ex-County Superintendent for Wake County,
has a fine select school of twenty pupils at home in Morrisville. We
congratulate our neighbors in having one of the very best North Caro-lina
teachers in charge of their children.
Miss S. H. Draughan has a school at Epworth. She writes that
" five cent cotton has greatly depressed the people of her community,"
but we hope times will improve before long. She enjoys The Teacher
very much and is greatly helped by its monthly visits.
THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER. 1 49
Hon. S. M. Finger, ex-State Superintendent Public Instruction, has
written an excellent text-book for schools upon "Civil Government."
The book is published in good style by the University Publishing Com-pany,
New York, and we hope it may have the success which it justly
merits.
The faculty of the Agricultural and Mechanical College have
decided that the appearance of the pretty military uniforms of the stu-dents
is marred by the long, scraggy and uncouth hair which adorns
the heads of the football players. The edict has therefore gone forth
that the hair of every student shall be at once cut short in strict regula-tion
military style. The same order has been issued to the United States
military academies at West Point and Annapolis.
Mr. Alfred Dufour and son will open a select school at their home
in Western North Carolina on April i, 1895, to continue until Novem-ber
30. It is a home school, thoroughly practical and efficient, and only
eight students will be admitted. It is located near Mills River, Hender-son
County. Pupils will board with the family and be required to speak
French, this being the language of the home. We commend the school
most heartily to our people. The total expenses for the term of eight
months is only feoo.
The city superintendents of graded schools held a very interesting
meeting in Park Hotel, Raleigh, Dec. 26 and 27. There were present
President John J. Blair, Secretary Logan D. Howell and Superintend-ents
Eggleston of Asheville, Toms of Durham, Connor of Wilson, Moses
of Raleigh, Noble of Wilmington, Grimsley of Greensboro, Davis of
Tarboro, Overman of Salisbury, Prof. J. Y. Joyner, Prof P. P. Claxton,
Dr. Winston and Prof. Alderman. The Association was addressed by
State Superintendent John C. Scarborough, upon the " Condition and
Needs of our Public Schools." It was a profound and thoughtful
speech and added to the enthusiasm of all who heard it. The city
superintendents have derived much pleasure and benefit from these
annual meetings of their Association.
CUPID AMONG OUR TEACHERS.
On December 20, 1894, Mr. Lee T. Blair, a teacher in the Greens-boro
Graded Schools, married Miss Johnsie GiLLESPiE, of that city.
Mr. Blair was for a time a teacher in the Raleigh Cit}- Schools, and is
very highly esteemed.
I
150 THE NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER.
AT RECESS.
The books and slates now put away,
And let us laugh a little while;
For those who work there should be play,
The leisure moments to beguile.
Teacher: "What is the conscience ? " Bright boy: " It's wot makes
you sorry w'en you get found out."
The Grammar CivASS.—Teacher: "John returned the book. In what
case is book?" Dull boy (after long thought): "Bookcase."
Philanthropist: " I wish to found a great university on this site. Is
it desirable?" Expertus (doubtfully): "It will take a lot of grading
before football can be played here."
Teacher: "Now, Ernest, what is the meaning of regeneration?"
Ernest (quickly): "To be born again." Teacher: " Would you like to
be born again, Ernest ? " Ernest: "Not much! I might be born a girl."
"The great problem' that I have to deal with," said the keeper of the
imbecile asylum, "is to find some occupation for the people under my
charge." "Why not set them to inventing college yells ?" asked the
visitor.
Couldn't Keep Him Down.—"Did John get that place in the govern-ment
service ? " " No; turned down on spellin' an' g'ography." "Poor
fellow! What's he doing now?" "He's a teachin' of a school an'
arunnin for superintendent of eddication."
He was rather young to know his letters, but he claimed familiarity
with them. "Let me see," said a visitor, desirous of testing his
knowledge. "What is the difference between a B and a C, Waldo?"
" That ith eethy," he lisped. " A bee ith a inthect and a thee ith full o'
water."
A short time ago a gentleman in a Georgia town met a very small
"cuffee" carrying a very large armful of books, which brought forth
the inquiry: " Going to school ? " " Yas, sar, boss." " Do you study
all those books? " " No, sar, dey's my brudder's. I'se a ignorance kind
er nigger side him, boss. Yer jest ough'er see dat nigger figgerin'. He
done gone an' clean cyphered thro' addition, partition, subtraction, dis-traction,
abomination, justification, hallucination, derivation, creation,
amputation and adoption. Lemme tell you what's de God's trufe, white
man, dat dere brudder er mine has sho' got er double-story head on 'im
w'en it comes ter calkilatin'."